


Scorched Gingerbread

by Stratagem



Series: Thunderblink Modern AU [2]
Category: The Gifted (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Gingerbread House, Past Fic, modern no powers au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-02-09 00:44:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12876543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stratagem/pseuds/Stratagem
Summary: John and Marcos set Clarice's gingerbread house on fire. They didn't know it was hers. Clarice is displeased.------Set in the past in a Modern No Powers AU, so they're all teenagers.





	Scorched Gingerbread

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own the Gifted.
> 
> Prompt Fill for Tumblr: #3 “Care to explain why you burnt down my house?”
> 
> Set in the Modern No Powers AU, back when John, Clarice, and Marcos were teenagers. <3

This. This was why you never left two best friends alone in your house, especially when one was a well-known pyro and very likely to bypass the other’s voice-of-reason tactics by saying how cool it would be to do something dumb. 

Like setting her gingerbread house ablaze.

Clarice could see the two idiots in the snowy backyard, videoing as her gingerbread house went up in flames. The gumdrops were melting, the frosting was dripping off the sides, the back half was already gone. The smell of scorched gingerbread was strong even from inside the house.

Something was up because John would never willingly torch something that belonged to her. And judging by the way her younger foster brother David was watching her from the couch, a smirk on his face, she would say that he had something to do with this. Still, her gingerbread house was on fire and someone was going to have to answer for it.

“Don’t go anywhere,” she said, pointing at David, “You better be sitting right there when I come back in.”

“No promises,” he said, but he turned his attention to his DS as she headed outside, slamming through the backdoor and startling the two firebugs. She put her hands on her hips as she stared down at her boyfriend and his best friend.

“Care to explain why you burned down my house?”

John and Marcos both jerked away from the crispy mess, Marcos with unabashed excitement and John with dawning guilt.

“This was the extra one,” John said, gesturing toward the still burning gingerbread house. “David said we could…” Realizing his error, John said back in the snow. “You’re kidding.” Automatically he scooped up some snow and scattered it over the burning gingerbread house, making it sizzle.

“Too late for that,” Marcos said, still not properly apologetic.

“You honestly believed my little brother?” Clarice asked, heading down the back steps and into the snow. “And now it’s burnt _and_ soggy.”

John stood up, looking at the remains of the gingerbread house to Clarice and back to the house. He had such a forlorn, ashamed look on his face that Clarice almost immediately forgave him. “Clarice, I’m sorry, I didn’t know…”

“What are you two doing, anyways?” she asked. Since Marcos wasn’t moving, she nudged him with her foot, sending him toppling. “Marcos!”

“What?” he said, glancing up at her, “It’s already ruined, Clarice, and John’ll buy you a new kit.”

“I will,” John said, still looked chagrined, “Whatever kit you want.”

“Mhmm,” Clarice said, “I liked that one.” She glanced back toward the house to see David duck back down behind the windowsill. Coward. She was totally going to chew him out later. He was always trying to put John in a bad light… “Still haven’t explained this little fiery adventure.”

John rubbed the back of his neck as Marcos pointed his camera back at the gingerbread house. “Remember that Christmas horror movie Marcos wants to make? He decided he’d start today.”

“It’s really Lorna’s idea,” Marcos said, “But I’m helping.”

“Of course you are,” Clarice said, rolling her eyes. Because Marcos was absolutely in love with Lorna and would burn a thousand gingerbread houses for her, no matter who they belonged to. Not that they were dating or anything, no. They just kept dancing around each other, obviously completely besotted with each other but neither of them willing to admit it just yet. No, they contented themselves with mercilessly teasing and flirting with each other.

“Sorry, Clarice,” Marcos said, looking up at her with those big brown eyes that seemed just a little embarrassed, “But it did look really cool…”

“And _that’s_ what matters,” Clarice said.

“We’ll both buy you a new kit,” John said, shooting Marcos a look when he started to protest, “And I’ll help you remake it.”

“I don’t think it’ll be as good as that one,” Clarice said, pretending to still be mad.

John reached out and touched her arm, pulling her toward him. “Maybe it could be better?”

“Two stories?”

“Sure. Two stories.”

“With a hot chocolate jacuzzi. And a marshmallow graveyard. I want it to have a Nightmare Before Christmas vibe, so you’re going to have to find me some little bones and fake blood.”

“That’s a little morbid.”

“You burned down my gingerbread house a week before Christmas, I’d say that’s a lot darker.”

John smiled a little and hugged her. “Yeah, okay. You win. We’ll make your creepy Christmas house.”

“And watch the movie at the same time?”

“I’ll just be here, destroying things in your backyard,” Marcos spoke up nonchalantly, still filming the burning gingerbread house. “You two have fun. Remember health class, be safe.”

Clarice glanced at John, and he nodded at her. A second later, Clarice pounced on Marcos, wrestling him to the ground and grabbing for the camera. John joined in, rescuing the camera before helping Clarice as she began to pelt Marcos with snowballs.


End file.
